Latrobe wins Telstra Call Centre - 300 plus jobsA jubilant Latrobe City Mayor, Cr Tony Hanning, today announced that Latrobe has been selected By Latrobe City Council - 5th March 2001 - Back to News A jubilant Latrobe City Mayor, Cr Tony Hanning, today announced that Latrobe has been selected as the preferred site for a major 270 seat Telstra Call Centre.
Expected to provide 300 full time positions, the Call Centre will also employ a number of part time staff taking the total employment level well beyond 300.
"This is a major breakthrough for the Latrobe City and Telstra," Cr Hanning proclaimed.
"It is the outcome of almost twelve months of intense negotiations between Telstra and the Council and is the direct result of massive teamwork."
Cr Hanning indicated that the negotiations began when Cr Graeme Middlemiss represented Council at an initial meeting with Telstra in April last year, to determine Telstra’s needs with regard to Call Centres.
"Cr Middlemiss briefed Council on the best possible way to attract a Call Centre, outlining the details and contingencies required to mount a successful bid, and following his advice we submitted a first class proposal," Cr Hanning said.
"Our Economic Development Unit, the CEO Penny Holloway, and myself have had a number of strategic meetings with Telstra over the past twelve months and our patience has at last been rewarded. There have been times when we have virtually sweated blood over this issue, but it has definitely been worth fighting for.
"It is the biggest employment opportunity we have secured since amalgamation, and it is only through a united effort that we have been able to achieve it," he added.
The Centre will house Call Centre components of the Telstra On Air Mobiles Business Unit, however the exact location of the Centre within the City of Latrobe has not yet been decided.
"The site and the extent of the development is currently being worked through and it is now safe to say that the recent advertisements calling for expressions of interest as reported in The Express, are in fact for the Telstra Call Centre," Cr Hanning said.
Cr Hanning reiterated Council’s continued concern for the employees of the existing Morwell Exchange and said that Telstra had given Council a commitment to work with the existing staff to ensure positive employment outcomes.
"It is my understanding that Telstra has no intention of leaving their existing staff out of the equation," Cr Hanning added.
The new Call Centre is expected to be in operation within 12 months. According to Cr Hanning, it is a clear indication of a renewed faith in the Valley, and a fore-runner of better things to come.
"We’ve believed all along that we have the capacity to attract this kind of venture and I can assure Telstra that we will continue to work with them wherever possible to ensure that the new Call Centre is a great success.
"This is the big one we’ve been waiting for and on a personal note I’m relieved that it is a project which was conceived and brought to fruition during my term as Mayor," Cr Hanning concluded.
Media Enquiries:
Cr. Tony Hanning, Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 373 577
Cr. Brendan Jenkins, Deputy Mayor, Latrobe City
tel. 0417 374 590
Ms. Penny Holloway, Chief Executive Officer,
tel. 5173 1401 or 0417 557 103
Jeremy Bein, Public Relations and Communications Officer,
tel. 5173 1468
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: latrobecity@gippslander.com
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